Ubuntu Trusty Tahr leaps forth, tackles high-res screens and tablets

Meet Canonical's play for Windows XP and tablet users

The Ubuntu 14.04 Long Term Support (LTS) edition has finally arrived, bringing new support for high-resolution displays and touchscreens.

Codenamed "Trusty Tahr," the release named after a reliable wild goat finally makes it so Ubuntu scales properly on high-resolution displays, an important feature in our advancing 2K and 4K world.

What's more, the 14.04 update is also the first stable version of Ubuntu made for tablets. It adds some much needed improvements to its touchscreen support for everything from multi-touch trackpads on laptops to commercial tablets.

In for the long haul

As a LTS release, Canonical has designed the upgrade for enterprises, adding more stability on top of a few notable features. This release of Ubuntu will also be continuously updated for the next five years.

As Windows XP was phased out last week, Canonical is taking the opportunity to push 14.04 to businesses as an affordable replacement for Windows XP.

"The 14.04 LTS release offers a solid, intuitive experience which is easy to manage," Jane Silber, Canonical CEO, said in a release. "It is a viable and affordable alternative for those organizations considering a switch from Microsoft, and specifically those replacing XP or Windows 7 as they come to the end of life."

As such, Canonical promises Ubuntu 14.04 LTS provides a seamless migration path from Windows to its platform. The operating system includes compatibility with Windows file formats, browser-based cloud solutions such as Maxthon, and the Microsoft Office-compatible LibreOffice suite.